What did Jesus actually say?

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January 29, 2018, 01:21:57 am Christian40 says: It will be interesting to see what happens this year Israel being 70 years as a modern nation may 14 2018January 11, 2018, 06:31:04 am teppezuhodd says: That is the best technology we have nowOctober 17, 2017, 01:25:20 am Christian40 says: It is good to type Mark is here again! October 16, 2017, 03:28:18 am Christian40 says: anyone else thinking that time is accelerating now? it seems im doing days in shorter time now is time being affected in some way?September 24, 2017, 10:45:16 pm Psalm 51:17 says: The specific rule pertaining to the national anthem is found on pages A62-63 of the league rulebook. It states: “The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem. “During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition. It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.”﻿September 20, 2017, 04:32:32 am Christian40 says: "The most popular Hepatitis B vaccine is nothing short of a witch’s brew including aluminum, formaldehyde, yeast, amino acids, and soy. Aluminum is a known neurotoxin that destroys cellular metabolism and function. Hundreds of studies link to the ravaging effects of aluminum. The other proteins and formaldehyde serve to activate the immune system and open up the blood-brain barrier. This is NOT a good thing."http://www.naturalnews.com/2017-08-11-new-fda-approved-hepatitis-b-vaccine-found-to-increase-heart-attack-risk-by-700.htmlSeptember 19, 2017, 03:59:21 am Christian40 says: bbc international did a video about there street preaching they are good witnessesSeptember 14, 2017, 08:06:04 am Psalm 51:17 says: bro Mark Hunter on YT has some good, edifying stuff too.September 14, 2017, 04:31:26 am Christian40 says: i have thought that i'm reaping from past sins then my life has been impacted in ways from having non believers in my ancestry.September 11, 2017, 06:59:33 am Psalm 51:17 says: The law of reaping and sowing. It's amazing how God's mercy and longsuffering has hovered over America so long. (ie, the infrastructure is very bad here b/c for many years, they were grossly underspent on. 1st Tim 6:10, the god of materialism has its roots firmly in the West) And remember once upon a time ago when shacking up b/w straight couples drew shock awe?

Exodus 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;View Shout History

Apple CEO Tim Cook Says Being Gay Is 'Among the Greatest Gifts God Has Given Me'

Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly came out as gay and called his sexuality “among the greatest gifts God has given me” this week in a personally written piece for Businessweek.

In the piece, Cook writes that while he has not hidden his sexuality at work, he never “publicly acknowledged it.”

The technology mogul said, “I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.”

“Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day. It’s made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life. It’s been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry. It’s also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you’re the CEO of Apple,” he continued.

Cook’s announcement was met with some criticism from Christian leaders.

Bob Stith, president of Family and Gender Issues Ministries said, "I don't think God gave that gift. From a strictly biblical standpoint this causes me to be sad for him and others that may read that and be influenced by it. Scripture calls it sin and I don't think we can ever say that sin is God's great gift to us."

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

One night I was reading the stories of people who had left the church because they thought God hated them simply because they were attracted to the same sex. I was so overcome with emotion that I put the book down, got alone in another room, fell to my knees and wept. The pain of these men and women for whom Jesus died was palpable and heartbreaking.

Could it be that we have been misinterpreting Scripture when it comes to their salvation? Could it be that there is some new understanding of the Bible that would allow us to affirm committed, same-sex relationships?

If not, does that mean that we tell a 15 year-old girl who identifies as lesbian, "If you want to follow Jesus, you'll have to be celibate for the rest of your life, never enjoying the companionship of a spouse and abstaining from sex for life"? Do we tell her, "If you do want to be married, you'll have to find a way to be attracted to men"? Is that the good news of the gospel?

A spate of books, videos, articles and blogs would tell us that, indeed, that is not the gospel and that the good news of Jesus is that you can follow Him and enjoy a committed, homosexual relationship too. And some of the authors of these books, videos, articles and blogs claim to be committed Christians themselves.

How do we sort this out?

It's really not that difficult. God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Ps. 119:105). It is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb. 4:12-13).

If we will humble ourselves before the Lord, keeping our focus on Jesus and asking the Father to give us His heart for those who identify as LGBT, letting the unequivocal testimony of Scripture guide us, we will find clarity.

So what does the Word of God say about homosexual practice?

Here are five simple truths that will help separate truth from error and biblical revelation from emotion. (For those wanting a more in-depth treatment, please see my newest book, Can You Be Gay and Christian?)

It's clear that the vast majority of those who have changed their views on what the Bible says about homosexuality and now believe in "gay Christianity" have done so based on either their own same-sex desires and attractions or their interaction with "gay Christians" (or with any gay or lesbian person who challenges their assumptions).

In other words, they have not changed their thinking based on study of the Scriptures alone, since no new textual, archeological, sociological, anthropological or philological discoveries have been made in the last 50 years that would cause us to read any of these biblical texts differently.

Put another way, it is not that we have gained some new insights into what the biblical text means based on the study of the Hebrew and Greek texts. Instead, people's interaction with the LGBT community has caused them to understand the biblical text differently. This means that, rather than interpreting their sexuality through the lens of the Scriptures, they are interpreting the Scriptures through the lens of their sexuality. This is a guaranteed path to deception.

The Word of God, which represents His heart and will for His creation, is absolutely clear on the subject, prohibiting all forms of homosexual practice. This is so clear that a number of leading gay and lesbian theologians acknowledge that they can only justify "gay Christianity" by rejecting the full authority of Scripture.

2) The Bible is a heterosexual book.

Gay theologians often make reference to the so-called "clobber passages" in the Scriptures, by which they mean the main verses the church has used to clobber them over the head with the Bible.

They raise two main arguments against the use of these verses.

First, they claim that the verses have been mistranslated, misinterpreted or misused and so, in reality, these Scriptures do not prohibit monogamous, committed, homosexual relationships. Yet they cannot offer any new evidence to back this claim, since none exists.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, they point out that out of more than 31,000 verses in the Bible, there are between six and eight "clobber passages" consisting of a total of less than 25 verses.

How important can it actually be? And why does the church make such a big deal about something that God's Word hardly addresses? Isn't this evidence of homophobic attitudes in the church rather than a careful representation of God's heart as expressed in His Word?

My friend Larry Tomzcak, an author and cultural commentator, offers a helpful illustration that puts the so-called "clobber passages" in a larger context.

Let's say you buy a new cookbook featuring healthy dessert recipes, none of which use sugar. In the introduction to the book, the author explains her reasons for avoiding sugar products, telling you that you will find sumptuous, sweet dessert recipes, but all without sugar. And so, throughout the rest of the book, the word sugar is not found a single time.

Would it be right to conclude that avoiding sugar was not important to the author? To the contrary, it was so important that every single recipe in the book makes no mention of sugar.

It is exactly the same when it comes to the Bible and homosexuality.

There are a few, very strong, very clear, references to homosexual practice—every one of them decidedly negative—and then not a single reference to homosexual practice throughout the rest of the Bible. It is not part of God's "recipe" for humanity.

Throughout the Word, the only relationships that were acceptable in God's sight or considered normal for society were heterosexual relationships, and so homosexual practice was either irrelevant (because it had nothing to do with the God-ordained relationships of marriage and family and society) or, if mentioned, explicitly condemned.

To give just one example out of hundreds, when a gay couple reads the Word and they come to Paul's words in Ephesians 5:22, 25, "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ... Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her," they cannot possibly relate to those words the way a heterosexual couple relates to them, since they do not have a true husband-wife relationship.

Yet those are the only kinds of romantic and sexual relationships that God speaks of, and that is the only kind of marriage He recognizes or blesses: a man and woman coming together in a lifetime commitment before Him.

3) Gender complementarity is of foundational importance.

Despite recent attempts to downplay this truth, male-female complementarity is part of God's foundational design.

As we see in Genesis 1-2, it is out of Adam that God forms Eve, the two of them uniquely complementing each other, to the point that when Adam sees his helper and counterpart, he exclaims, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman [Hebrew 'ishah], because she was taken out of Man ['ish]" (Gen. 2:23).

And this is what we cannot miss: It is because the woman was taken out of the man that the very next verse says this: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24).

Genesis is teaching us that because the woman was taken out of the man, the two are now joined back together as one in marital union, each one uniquely complementing the other. And notice: There's not a word here yet about reproduction or procreation, simply about union (even if procreation is the presupposed outcome).

Only a man and a woman can be joined (rejoined!) together in this way.

A man plus a man or a woman plus a woman cannot possibly share the same union as a man and a woman, since they do not share the essential of fundamental sameness and difference.

To rephrase the famous axiom of John Gray, namely, that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, Mars + Mars or Venus + Venus cannot ever equal Mars + Venus.

And in the words of a man who lived as a homosexual all his life (he's now past 70) but has recently found the Lord, "Even an atheist can understand the lack of anatomical complementarity and therefore biological purpose in male-to-male or female-to-female sexuality."

4) Jesus knew exactly what was inside people, including their "sexual orientation."

We are told today that biblical authors did not understand sexual orientation and that they had no concept of committed, long-term same-sex relationships. What the biblical authors rejected, we are told, was man-boy relationships, or male prostitution, or homosexual promiscuity.

All these sinful practices were certainly rejected, but biblical authors like Paul were certainly aware of long-term, male-male relationships.

More importantly, Hebrews 4:13 states that "no creature is hidden from [God's] sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." And it is this God who inspired the writers of the Scriptures. Are gay theologians willing to say that the Lord Himself didn't understand modern-day, still-evolving concepts like "sexual orientation"?

And are they willing to say that the Lord Jesus, who literally looked into the hearts and souls of human beings—John 2:25 says that He knew what was in man—didn't understand that certain people were "gay"? We're not talking about the writers of Scripture understanding modern science. We're talking about them—including Jesus Himself—understanding human nature.

To everyone who professes to be a gay Christian, I ask you to get alone with God and ask yourself, "Did God create and design me to be with the same-sex or the opposite sex?"

5) The gospel brings good news to homosexual men and women.

Gay theologians tell us that the traditional gospel message is a "bad tree," bringing forth the bad fruit of depression, apostasy and even suicide among gay men and women.

To the contrary, the message of the gospel brings forgiveness, freedom, hope and deliverance, as countless thousands of ex-gays can attest, by which I mean followers of Jesus who no longer practice homosexuality. Some of them have even become heterosexual, but even those who have not found a change in their sexual desires have found wholeness and satisfaction in the Lord.

In the words of Sam Allberry, a British pastor who is still same-sex attracted but is living a celibate, holy life: "Every Christian is called to costly sacrifice. Denying yourself does not mean tweaking your behavior here and there. It is saying 'No' to your deepest sense of who you are, for the sake of Christ. To take up a cross is to declare your life (as you have known it) forfeit. It is laying down your life for the very reason that your life, it turns out, is not yours at all. It belongs to Jesus. He made it. And through His death he has bought it."

Allberry is frequently asked, "But isn't it harder for someone who is gay?"

His answer is clear: "The gospel demands everything of all of us. If someone thinks the gospel has somehow slotted into their life quite easily, without causing any major adjustments to their lifestyle or aspirations, it is likely that they have not really started following Jesus at all. And just as the cost is the same for all of us, so too are the blessings." (For more from Allberry, read Is God Anti-Gay?)

To every reader who is same-sex attracted, I encourage you not to define yourself by your desires but to put all your effort into knowing the Lord and finding intimacy with Him one day at a time, not rewriting the Bible to suit your sexual attractions but casting yourself on God's goodness and mercy. You will find Him to be absolutely trustworthy, totally understanding and more than enough to meet your every need.

Let us, then, not waver in our biblical stance, knowing that is the truth that sets people free (John 8:31-32).

The battle over same sex marriage has brought about many legal claims – but not all from the couples themselves. Children of same sex couples often sue for the lack of family stability and denied benefits that a non recognized marital status entails. But some grown children of gay parents are now speaking out against gay marriage – based on their negative experiences.

First, we need to muddle through all the hyperbole and understand what this debate is really about.

Activists want same sex marriage because they understand that government backed same sex marriage will validate and normalize homosexuality throughout society.

In his book, “Same-Sex Marriage–Challenges and Responses,” Greg Koukl states, “Same sex marriage is not about civil rights. It is about validation and social respect. It is a radical attempt at civil engineering using government muscle to strong-arm the people into accommodating a lifestyle many find deeply offensive, contrary to nature, socially destructive, and morally repugnant.” Same sex marriage advocate Andrew Sullivan understands this. He writes, “Including homosexuals within marriage would be a means of conferring the highest form of social approval imaginable.”This is the real reason homosexual activists are relentlessly pushing to get the government to endorse same sex marriage…they want the social approval that same sex marriage will win them.

This argument will not likely end soon. States throughout the country have spoken to their desires for their residents, yet activist courts have sought to undo the will of many of these states.

Recently, four adult children filed a brief to the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals. In question is whether the harm they experienced was due to bad parenting or an overcompensation to normalize gay unions. In some cases, being refused access to heterosexual families left only one family type to model after.

It’s difficult to ascertain if these particular parents were simply selfish and without boundaries because they were also gay, as their children surmise. What becomes their theme is that children need and have a God-given right to a mother and a father, despite what the gay community may claim. Their stories reflect some abuse or simply neglect. One adult daughter recalls her male friends being propositioned by her dad and his gay partner. The unnatural preoccupation of sex was a theme throughout their childhoods.

The reason Christians have opposed same sex marriage so strongly is two-fold. The Bible has clear instructions regarding all sexuality, and the Biblical family is the symbol of God’s image on the earth. Removing all signs of God in current society continues to be the theme of the day, as His image is clearly under attack. Why else the vehement demand to normalize what abruptly distorts His image?

One thing is certain. Opening the legal box may provide more questions than answers, at least for the time being.

Faith is important to former President Jimmy Carter, and he writes about it extensively in his new memoir A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety. But his religious beliefs don't keep him from supporting every American's right to marry the person they love.

HuffPost Live's Marc Lamont Hill asked Carter on Tuesday whether he believes Jesus would approve of gay marriage, and Carter said he does.

"I believe Jesus would. I don't have any verse in scripture. ... I believe Jesus would approve gay marriage, but that's just my own personal belief. I think Jesus would encourage any love affair if it was honest and sincere and was not damaging to anyone else, and I don't see that gay marriage damages anyone else," he said.

Faith is important to former President Jimmy Carter, and he writes about it extensively in his new memoir A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety. But his religious beliefs don't keep him from supporting every American's right to marry the person they love.

HuffPost Live's Marc Lamont Hill asked Carter on Tuesday whether he believes Jesus would approve of gay marriage, and Carter said he does.

"I believe Jesus would. I don't have any verse in scripture. ... I believe Jesus would approve gay marriage, but that's just my own personal belief. I think Jesus would encourage any love affair if it was honest and sincere and was not damaging to anyone else, and I don't see that gay marriage damages anyone else," he said.

I read one of his books 10 years ago(when I first moved to North Texas, and was reading books at the local library while we were in transition) - he said the same thing in it. I don't know how long ago it was written(I believe in the 1990's), but he pretty much said that Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.

Now that we’ve had a couple of months to reflect on the Supreme Court’s decision about gay marriage, perhaps it would be possible to have a reasonable discussion as to why, whatever the government may say about civil relationships and what should and shouldn’t be legal, nevertheless from a Christian point of view, gay marriage is an oxymoron– a contradiction in terms. Here are seven possible talking points:

1) Jesus was perfectly clear— marriage is when God brings a man and a woman together who are capable of sharing a one flesh union with the possibility of fulfilling the creation order mandate— be fruitful and multiply (see Mk. 10/ Mt. 19).

2) Jesus was equally clear in Mt. 19 that the alternative for his disciples was celibacy in singleness, which is what ‘being a eunuch for the kingdom’ refers to.

3) In order to meet the requirements for being a husband according to the household codes in Col. 3.-4 and Ephes. 5-6 one must: 1) be a male, and 2) have a partner who is a member of the opposite sex. Men cannot be wives, however much they may try and play such a role, nor can women be husbands, and a relationship that involves either two men or two women produces exactly NO husbands or wives.

4) The only couple capable of being a father and a mother of their own biological children is a man and a woman. Adoption only makes a person a surrogate father or mother at best. And if one person is the biological parent of the child, whereas his or her partner is not, then in fact one has deprived the child of either their birth mother or their birth father. They have come to have a child ‘out of wedlock’, if one counts either gay or lesbian relationships as marriage.

5) A child deserves to have both a mother and a father, and more particularly their own biological parents if humanly possible. Any relationship which involves two mothers (one of whom is not the real mother) or two fathers (one of whom is not the biological father) does not provide the modeling of what a husband and wife/mother and father relationship should look like under any sort of normal circumstances.

6) Same sex sexual activity, whether between consenting adults or through some other sort of relationship, is clearly defined as a sin in both the OT and the NT, indeed a serious sin. If this is correct, then gay marriage is a non-starter.

7) There is an irreducible biological or gender component to being a man or a woman. One does not get to choose one’s biology, one’s XY chromosomes. The creation story in Gen. 1-2 makes perfectly clear that the only ‘suitable companion’ for the man was a woman, and this is because God created us male and female in his image. Only so could we perpetuate the human race. Only so could we be mini-creators of more human beings, so mirroring one aspect of God the Creator.

At the end of the day either we realize that gender matters, and gender difference is essential to a real Christian marriage, or we totally change the definition of what counts as marriage, what counts as husband and wife, what counts as mother and father Biblically speaking. It is in no way surprising that in the most individualistic and narcissistic culture on the planet, that Americans would like to be able to even choose their gender, their own biology. But in fact you can’t do that, and since gender matters Biblically speaking when it comes to Christian marriage, you also do not have Biblical permission to redefine marriage, husband, wife, mother or father.

The number 7 in the Bible as well as in nature show the completeness and perfectness of our Heavenly Father. The number 6, on the other hand, does not fare so well. The number is first mentioned in connection with the flood of Noah, and last mentioned with the Mark of the Beast and the Battle of Armageddon. All judgments on sin. The Mark of the Beast includes three 6's, a complete judgement on sin. How many colors in the LGBT Pride Rainbow? You guessed it - 6.

GOD’S RAINBOW, THE ONE THAT HE SET IN THE SKY AS A SIGN TO NOAH, HAS 7 OBSERVABLE COLORS IN IT – RED, ORANGE. YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE, VIOLET, AND INDIGO.

“And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.” Genesis 9:11-13 (KJV)

I was reading earlier how Skittles traded in its iconic rainbow packaging for a monochromatic black-and-white design in honor of LGBT Pride parade celebrations in London this week.

The candy company joined in the celebration earlier this week and handed out limited-edition black-and-white bags filled with white Skittles, with a black S imprinted on them. An all-white Skittles float was also seen making its way through the thousands of revelers during the Pride parade in London.

AND IT GOT ME THINKING ABOUT THE A MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOD’S RAINBOW AND THE COUNTERFEIT LGBT PRIDE RAINBOW SYMBOL.

God’s rainbow, the one that He set in the sky as a sign to Noah, has 7 observable colors in it – red, orange. yellow, green, blue, violet, and indigo. The number 7 is strongly associated with God and His perfect completeness. Please note the following about the number 7:

There are 7 days of the week – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and SundayThere are 7 continents – Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia/Oceania, Europe, North America, and South AmericaThe Name Jehovah appears 7 times in the King James Bible – Genesis 22:14, Exodus 6:3, Exodus 17:15, Judges 6:24, Psalms 83:18, Isaiah 2:2, Isaiah 26:4There are 7 Churches in Revelation – Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, LaodiceaThere are 7 notes in the musical scale – C, D, E, F, G, A, BThere are 7 colors when light passes through a prism – the three primary colors and four secondary ones affectionately known as ROYGBIVThere are 7 levels in the Periodic Table of the Elements – the 7 levels of periodicityFurther, there are the 7 Mysteries given to the apostle Paul, 7 baptisms of fire, 7 resurrections, and a whole host of other 7’s. Multiples of 7 also figure into the biblical narrative: the “seventy weeks” prophecy in Daniel 9:24 concerns 490 years (7 times 7 times 10). Jeremiah 29:10 predicted the Babylonian Captivity would last for seventy years (7 times 10). According to Leviticus 25:8, the Year of Jubilee was to begin after the passing of every forty-ninth year (7 times 7).

Are you starting to get the picture? The number 7 in the Bible as well as in nature shows the completeness and perfectness of our Heavenly Father. The number 6, on the other hand, does not fare so well. The number is first mentioned in connection with the flood of Noah, and last mentioned with the Mark of the Beast and the Battle of Armageddon. All judgments on sin. The Mark of the Beast includes three 6’s, a complete judgement on sin.

How many colors in the LGBT Pride Rainbow? You guessed it – 6.

GILBERT BAKER, AN ARTIST AND DRAG QUEEN, FIRST CREATED THE RAINBOW FLAG IN 1978.

Baker’s rainbow flag actually originally had eight colors – hot pink, red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, indigo/blue and violet — but it gradually lost its stripes until it became the six-color version most commonly used today. Each of the colors has its own significance, he says: hot pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for art, indigo for harmony and violet for spirit.

The flag lost its hot pink stripe when Baker approached the Paramount Flag Company to begin mass producing them – the hot pink fabric was too rare and expensive to include. The flag lost its indigo stripe before the 1979 Gay Freedom Day Parade. The committee organizing the parade wanted to split the flag in half and fly each part from the light poles along both sides of Market Street, so it became a six-striped flag. Baker says the flag was cemented as an international symbol in 1994, when he made a mile-long flag for the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

ABOUT THAT PRIDE THING…

As a Bible believer, I always found it odd that the LGBT would call their movement the Pride movement. The Bible says that all the ‘children of pride’ have a king set over them to rule them, and that king is the Devil who shows up as Leviathan in the book of Job:

“He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.” Job 41:34 (KJV)

And, oh yeah, that’s the sixth place where the word ‘pride’ appears in the Bible.

Marriage is the exclusive God-ordained institution between one man (husband) and one woman (wife) in a mutually consented “one-flesh” relationship, consisting of mutually supportive companionship and physical union (Gen. 1:27; 2:24; 1 Cor. 7:1–6; Rom. 1:26, 27). As such, marriage is a lifelong, monogamous, heterosexual, covenant relationship between the man and the woman, publicly entered into before God as witness and enforcer (Prov. 2:17; Mal. 2:16; Matt. 19:6) and recognized by God’s institution of human government (Deut. 22:13–17; Gen. 29:25, 26; Rom. 13:1; Matt. 22:21).The marriage covenant is authoritatively based on divine law and normally recognized by civil law.

The marital covenant with God as witness and enforcer involves certain obligatory responsibilities on the side of both husband and wife: (1) marital love including conjugal relations (Gen. 2:23, 24); (2) living together as a single household (Gen. 2:24); (3) faithfulness to the marriage bed (Exod. 20:14); (4) provision for the wife by the husband (Gen. 30:30; Deut. 22:13–29); (5) submission to the husband by the wife (Gen. 3:16); and (6) the proper raising of any children born to the union (Ezra 9, 10; Mal. 2; Eph. 5–6).Thus, marriage is not a matter of mere social convention but rather is a sacred bond between one man and one woman, defined by God alone, instituted by God, and entered into before God.Biblical Theology of Sexual Ethics

Sexual relations do not alone constitute a genuine marriage (John 4:17, 18) due to the fact that sexual activity and relations outside the marriage bond as defined above are always considered to be sinful (Heb. 13:4; Matt. 19:9).

It is absolutely necessary in a militantly pagan culture to submit our sexual practice as believers to the Lordship of Christ, which will result in God’s glory and our good. Natural sexual desire is a gift of God and is to be placed in the service of God exclusively through marriage. God affirms the beauty of the one-flesh relationship exclusively within the confines of God-ordained marriage (Gen. 2:24, 25; Song of Solomon; Prov. 5:15–19; Heb. 13:4; 1 Cor. 7:1–6).The initial purpose for the one-flesh relationship is procreational as the natural result of sexual union and fulfilling the dominion mandate (Gen. 1:28; cf. Gen. 9:1).The second purpose of the one-flesh relationship is relational (Gen. 2:18, 21–23), thereby alleviating man’s aloneness. The third purpose of the one-flesh relationship is social. Unrestrained sexual license greatly contributes to an undisciplined and disorderly society, producing family breakdown, divorce, illegitimacy, disease, the welfare state, abuse, criminal behavior, bitterness, and slavery to sin (Matt. 5:8, 28; Job 31:1; Ps. 119:9; Gen. 2:25; cf. Ps. 51:10; Rom. 1:18–32). Without accepted norms based on Biblical prescription there will not be sufficient public restraint to control acts of sexual impropriety and immodesty in society (Ezek. 16:36; 23:18; Rom. 13:1–6). The final purpose of the oneflesh relationship in monogamous, heterosexual marriage is recreational. Sexual pleasure is God’s gracious gift for His image bearers to be enjoyed exclusively in marriage without fear, shame, or guilt as the ultimate expression of marital love (Song of Solomon; Prov. 5:15–19; Heb. 13:4; 1 Cor. 7).

Sexual activity is not to be worshiped or idolized as is so commonly done in modern society. All people, including Christians in particular, are obligated by their creaturely existence to enjoy God’s gracious gifts while gratefully acknowledging the Creator’s purposes and parameters for those gifts, particularly the gift of sexuality (Rom. 1:18–32). All sexual sin is ultimately a violation of the covenantal relationship God has established with the first man and woman as representatives of the human race to whom God directly gave the gift of human sexuality within the exclusive confines of monogamous, heterosexual marriage. Those who violate God’s design for sexual activity and marriage do so at their own peril and ultimately dehumanize and degrade a person into sinful bondage and sexual slavery.Biblical View of Homosexuality

Homosexuality consists of both same-sex erotic attraction and sexual activity. A homosexual is one who nurtures an ongoing erotic, romantic desire for a person of the same gender, culminating in sexual involvement. Homosexuality, then, is the result of a sinful cultivation and conditioning in contrast to a natural, biological orientation. Homosexuality is not a civil right protected in the US Constitution. This equates a desired act with a constitutional right and assumes that homosexuality is an inherent part of one’s biological nature. Such reasoning would eventually be used to justify other unlawful desires such as pedophilia, incest, polygamy, bestiality, necrophilia, or molestation.

Homosexuality is a clear violation of the created order of God. It violates the heterosexual nature of marriage between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24), the complementarian nature of marriage, where the woman is the exclusively suitable answer to man’s aloneness in marital love and physical union (Gen. 2:18–20; 3:16–19; Eph. 5:22–33; 1 Pet. 3:1–7), and homosexuality violates the fulfillment of the dominion mandate necessitating procreation (Gen. 1:28).

The first instance of homosexual behavior in the Bible is answered by severe judgment (Gen. 19:4–11). The term “know” in this context clearly refers to sexual activity between members of the same sex (Gen. 19:5, 8; cf. Gen. 4:1, 17, 25; 24:16; 38:26). Jude 6–8 and 2 Peter 2:4–10 clarify that the cities were characterized by unnatural sexual desires. Judges 19:22–25 parallels the situation in Sodom, where the men are aggressively seeking same-sex involvement. Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 label homosexual behavior as an abomination along with other sexual sins. These sins violate the created order, the holy attributes of God’s nature and character, and are repeatedly mentioned again in the New Testament as sinful, abominable, and contrary to the will of God. Homosexuality particularly was a constant threat to the holiness of Israel from the surrounding Canaanite nations (Gen. 9:20–27; Deut. 23:17, 18; Judges 19:22–25; 1 Kings 14:24; 15:12; 22:46; 2 Kings 23:7; Ezek. 16:49, 50; 18:12; 33:26).

Homosexuality is repeatedly condemned by God in the New Testament. Romans 1:26–32 condemns the practice of homosexuality by men or women and further condemns the condoning of such sinful activity (vv. 31, 32). First Corinthians 6:9, 10 condemns both partners in the homosexual encounter.“ Effeminate” (malakoi) and “homosexuals” (‘arsenoikoitoi) refer to the passive and active sides of the homosexual relationship respectively. The “effeminate” are those who willingly allow themselves to be sodomized, whereas the “homosexuals” are those who actively engage in sodomizing the effeminate. First Timothy 1:10 mentions the violation of the seventh commandment to include both “immoral men and homosexuals,” citing the same Greek term used in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and the Greek translation (LXX) of the Hebrew term in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. Finally, 2 Peter 2:6 and Jude 7 reference the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah for indulging in gross immorality and going after strange flesh—that is men with men.

God’s Will for Sinners It is the clear will of God for all human beings made in the image of God to abstain from immorality. This is especially true for professing believers in Christ (1 Thess. 4:1–8). His image-bearers must abstain from immorality and refrain from approving immoral behavior (Rom. 1:31, 32). Those who practice these sins and give approval of such will not inherit the Kingdom of God (Eph. 5:3–5; cf. Gal. 5 and 1 Cor. 6).

Thankfully, God in His grace offers His gospel to all sinners. All human beings are sinners (Rom. 3:23). He promises to wash, sanctify, and justify any sinner who comes to Him with repentant faith in the Person and cross-work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Though sexual sin carries severe consequences in this life and eternal judgment in the life to come, all sin, including sexual sin, can be forgiven via the grace of God available on account of Christ’s infinite atonement for sin applied to those who repent of their sin and place their unreserved trust in Jesus Christ alone for their eternal salvation (1 Cor. 6:9–11; Acts 17:30; 1 John 1:9; Rom. 6:1-–7). Because of human depravity, it is possible for any man to commit any sin at any time. Therefore we must humbly take every opportunity to help others by introducing them to Jesus Christ, the only Savior of man from sin. In addition, we must help any professing Christian who is battling with sexual sin. We do so by accurately calling sin what it is and second by encouraging genuine repentance in order to restore fellowship with Christ and the joy of one’s salvation (Ps. 51).Christ did not die to save us from an orientation; He died to save us from our sin. Jesus Christ is love incarnate (1 John 4:8) and therefore by “reason of his much love” sacrificed his life on the cross in order save us, regenerate us, justify us, and sanctify us. In this way we bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:1–6).

‘Finding Prince Charming’ LGBTQ Gay Dating Show To Premiere On Network Television

“Logo has a long history of showcasing LGBTQ-focused stories with memorable characters that transcend pop culture,” said Pamela Post, SVP of original programming for Logo. “’Finding Prince Charming’ will take viewers on a whirlwind journey through modern love and relationships in a way that only Logo can do.”7/12/16

Logo has greenlit “Finding Prince Charming,” a reality dating competition featuring a cast of all gay men. Lass Bass is set to host.

“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” Romans 1:26,27 (KJV)

“Finding Prince Charming” will include a cast of 13 suitors. All the men will live in the same house together, as they compete to win the heart of one of the “nation’s most eligible gay heartthrob.” The contestants will be eliminated one-by-one, and in the final episode, the heartthrob will choose his one ideal man to “commit to an exclusive relationship,” per Logo.

“Logo has a long history of showcasing LGBTQ-focused stories with memorable characters that transcend pop culture,” said Pamela Post, SVP of original programming for Logo. “’Finding Prince Charming’ will take viewers on a whirlwind journey through modern love and relationships in a way that only Logo can do.”

Reality dating shows have had long success on television, but an American series has never featured an all-gay cast. Back in 2003, Bravo broke ground with the series “Boy Meets Boy,” though the reality show did feature both gay and heterosexual men. The graybeard of dating shows, “The Bachelor” franchise on ABC, has received criticism for its lack of diverse casting, having largely featured white suitors and leading ladies. The current season of “The Bachelorette” stars a half-Persian Bachelorette, but viewers and critics have called out the network for never selecting an African-American star. That franchise, along with many others in the genre, has never featured an all-gay cast or suitor.

Bass — best known for NSYNC — came out in 2006 with a highly publicized People magazine cover. In 2007, he penned a biography “Out of Sync” in which he discussed his sexuality. His wedding to his longtime partner was featured on a 2015 E! special “Lance Loves Michael: The Lance Bass Wedding.” Bass has been featured in GLAAD campaigns supporting the LGBT community, he has fundraised for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and was awarded with the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award.

Bass recently appeared as a regular panelist on “The Meredith Vieira Show.” He has also worked as a guest correspondent on “Entertainment Tonight.”

Last night, on the first night of the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump walked on stage to Queen’s “We Are The Champions” to introduce his wife Melania Trump’s partially plagiarized speech. The use of the song was (obviously) unauthorized, which Queen confirmed this morning via a tweet from their official account.

This is the second time that the remaining members of the band requested that Trump not use the song at his political functions. Last month, Brian May posted a note on his personal website after the presidential candidate began using the track as his “theme song”:

I’ve had an avalanche of complaints – some of which you can see in our ‘LETTERS’ page – about Donald Trump using our We Are The Champions track as his ‘theme’ song on USA TV. This is not an official Queen statement, but I can confirm that permission to use the track was neither sought nor given. We are taking advice on what steps we can take to ensure this use does not continue. Regardless of our views on Mr Trump’s platform, it has always been against our policy to allow Queen music to be used as a political campaigning tool. Our music embodies our own dreams and beliefs, but it is for all who care to listen and enjoy.

As cases of meningitis, a rare and potentially fatal disease, popped up in cities nationwide over the past several years, public health officials noticed a trend: many of those infected were gay men.

There’s no known medical reason why meningitis, which is transmitted through saliva, would spread more among gay and bisexual men. Yet New York, Chicago and now Southern California have experienced outbreaks disproportionately affecting that population.

“It is perplexing,” said Dr. Rachel Civen, a medical epidemiologist at L.A. County’s Department of Public Health.

Of the 13 cases of meningitis this year in L.A. County — excluding Long Beach, which has its own health department — seven were gay men. There were only 12 meningitis cases in the county in all of 2015, one of which was a gay or bisexual man.

In Long Beach, there have been six meningitis cases this year, half of which were gay men. Last year there were no meningitis cases in the city, according to city officials.

Civen, who has tracked the county’s meningitis cases for a decade, said it was “pretty striking” that half or more of the cases in both jurisdictions were gay men.

Meningitis cases in L.A. and Orange counties are thought to be connected because lab testing showed that many patients were infected with the same strain of meningococcus, known as serotype C.